1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns computer networks which allow the exchange of information or "data" between different terminals.
2. Related Art
Such a network conventionally comprises a transmission medium, generally an electrical or fibre optic cable. Stations or terminals are connected at various places on this cable, this connection being made through a "network interface".
It is essential for the terminals to understand each other, despite their multiplicity. In some computer networks, a rule (multiplexing, token) is determined for this purpose, in accordance with which no more than one of the terminals may transmit over the communication medium at a given moment. Another technique permits "random access" to the network, that is to say several terminals may transmit at the same time. One consequence of this multiple access is that "collisions" may occur, and it will then be necessary to resolve them.
The ETHERNET (registered trade mark) network, governed by the standard known as IEEE 802.3, is of the random access type. The network management protocol is of the multiple access carrier sensing type with collision detection, or CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection).
The implementation of such a network, but with the ether as the communication medium, that is to say with transmission by radio waves, poses various problems which the present invention will help to resolve.